Find out how popular the last name Khwaja is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Khwaja.

Khwaja, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Khwaja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Khwaja in America

Khwaja is the 40672nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Khwaja surname appeared 537 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Khwaja.

We can also compare 2010 data for Khwaja to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Khwaja

The surname KHWAJA originated in the Middle East, specifically in Persia (modern-day Iran), during the medieval period. It is derived from the Persian word "khwajah," which means "master" or "lord." This title was initially bestowed upon respected scholars, nobles, and dignitaries in the region.

The name KHWAJA gained prominence in the 13th century with the rise of the Khwajagan, a prominent Persian Sufi order founded by Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi. The members of this order were known for their spiritual teachings and influence, contributing to the widespread recognition of the name.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname KHWAJA can be found in the works of the renowned Persian poet Rumi, who lived from 1207 to 1273. Rumi's writings often referenced various Sufi masters, some of whom bore the title "Khwaja."

During the Mughal Empire in South Asia, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century, the name KHWAJA became widely adopted by Muslims in the region. The Mughals were of Turko-Persian descent, and they brought with them many cultural and linguistic influences, including the use of the title "Khwaja."

Notable individuals with the surname KHWAJA include:

1. Khwaja Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafiz (1325-1389), a highly revered Persian poet and mystic from Shiraz, Iran, known for his influential works of poetry.
2. Khwaja Mir Dard (1720-1785), a celebrated Sufi scholar, philosopher, and poet from Delhi, India, who played a significant role in the literary and spiritual life of the Mughal Empire.
3. Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (1914-1987), a renowned Indian writer, novelist, and screenwriter, known for his contributions to Hindi literature and Indian cinema.
4. Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din (1870-1932), an Indian Islamic scholar and missionary who played a pivotal role in promoting Islam in Europe and North America during the early 20th century.
5. Khwaja Abdul Ghani Kashmiri (1856-1927), a prominent Islamic scholar, mystic, and reformist from Kashmir, who advocated for modern educational reforms within the Islamic tradition.

Over time, the surname KHWAJA has spread across various regions, including Central Asia, South Asia, and parts of the Middle East, reflecting the cultural and historical influences of the Persian and Mughal empires in these areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Khwaja

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Khwaja.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Khwaja was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Khwaja has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Khwaja was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Khwaja, please contact us.

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